One Girl, Two Boys

Choices, choices

~Cameron~

"Hey Emma!" I called after her. She turned around to face me and I jogged towards her. The fluorescent lights in the school hall had never felt so intimidating before. "Yes?" Emma asked. I sucked in a long nervous breath. If I didn't do it now, Julian would get to her first.

"So... I was wondering if you would like to um... accompany me to prom... ...."

~Emma~

The first thing that came to mind was 'I'm waiting for someone else'. But Cameron obviously wanted to go as frien- Wait. Was I waiting for Julian?

Numbed by the thought that I had a crush, I nodded my head without even realising, at least until I saw Cameron grinning a smile so big I swear his face was going to burst. I couldn't really say I had made a mistake and wanted to go with someone else instead, so we bid each other goodbye and I made my way back home.

As I walked home, I saw Julian at the school gate, kicking pieces of gravel with his hands in his pockets. "Hey!" I said, taking a second to remember my latest "discovery". I blushed a deep crimson. Julian turned to look at me and waved to back to me. His gestures were casual but his eyes that were usually a playful sea-green had become serious.

He took a few steps towards me and words tumbled out of his mouth:" Wannagotopromwithme?" Then, I realised how flustered and nervous he actually was. "What?" I asked, with a confused frown.

He laughed nervously and repeated what he had just said more slowly with a shaky voice:" Wanna go to prom with me?" His face turning into a deeper shade of red with every word he said.

I was filled with guilt. Why hadn't I said no to Cameron? I could not possibly turn him down now.

Regretfully, I said:" I- I'm going with Cameron..." Immediately, Julian's smile fell from his face and he said:" Oh, well. I'll see you there I guess. No biggie." I could see the rejection and sadness in his eyes as he turned to leave.

It broke my heart.

~Julian~

When I heard Emma say that she was going with Cameron, all my hopes dropped and I turned to leave. I had no chance against Cameron. At that moment, I knew I wouldn't be able to go to prom seeing Cameron and Emma together. Today I had rejected four girls and now I definitely knew how it felt to be rejected.

Just then, Emma called out:" Jules, I could save you the last dance?"

I'm going.

After all, the last dance was the all-famous slow dance.